MINESAPINT Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Went to pick my new Defender up this morning and arrived at the dealership to be told there was a problem. Apparently the vehicle had been sent to the workshop this morning prior to my arrival for its PDI/valet. It had been driven into the workshop and parked but left in gear, I am unaware whether the handbrake was on or not. When the valeter needed to lower the window slightly to clean the top of the glass he/she turned the key slightly to enable the electric windows. They turned the key too far and the vehicle lurched forward, fortunately as far as I am aware no one was hurt but the vehicle was left stuck in gear. They were unable to get it out of gear and had e-mailed Land Rover for advice. Salesman did say starting a Defender in gear is recommended practice for hill starts so this should not have happened? I suggested it was driver error? The dealer asked for some time to fix the problem, be it a 20p fix or a new gearbox, they promised to bring it back to life but as far as Mrs MINESAPINT & I were concerned there was no decision to make. We were not having it which the dealer readily & gracefully accepted. We are probably going to order another new one for which we will have to wait 3 months. Out of interest has anyone any idea what might have happened to the gearbox and can anyone answer any other issues raised. Thanks MINESAPINT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I suppose mistakes can happen but I think you made the right decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSi110 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I'm mildly surprised this would have done any damage. A quick flick of the starter whilst in-gear and it's knackered? Hell's teeth!! Two things: 1. The dealer was honest with you. Great for that to happen, but you'd have thought they might want to establish a few facts before potentially losing the sale. 2. If it is damaged expensively - new gearbox - what on earth does that say about the quality of the product? Will this seemingly innocent, yet easily-done mistake be placed in the owners manual as a caution? Anyway, if I were in your shoes, I'd get a new one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sparkes Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 This reads to me as though April 1st came late this year. Thankyou for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 Sounds like a made up excuse why your new vehicles gearbox is knackered already. "Bugger it's stuck in gear, how do we explain how that happened." I smell male bovine excrement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I agree, the transmission might wind-up, but jacking one front and one back wheel off the ground usually releases it. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I can't count the times I've run out of fuel and moved my car to the side of the road on the starter motor - never had a gearbox locked on me yet. Must be one of those new cheeseboxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 They've been driving it around in diff lock and wound the transmission up. As Les says, they need to lift a wheel and let out the demons. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MINESAPINT Posted April 26, 2008 Author Share Posted April 26, 2008 I was quite prepared to accept their explanation of the problem but cannot understand it myself. When eightpot has moved his car to the roadside using the starter motor I imagine he would find that manoeuvre more successful with the handbrake off. As I said earlier I am unaware whether the handbrake was on or not but imagine it must have been & wonder if this could make any difference. Also what about it being recommended practice to start it in gear while driving offroad? Again must be better with handbrake off! Thanks for replies. MINESAPINT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thon Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 If the thing became jammed in gear after such a minor operator error, in my eyes it doesn't bode well for the replacement vehicle. Could the same thing happen again? It would certainly make me think twice about accepting a replacement. I would be reeeaally interested to hear the full explanation, if they ever decide to tell you - based on their explanation so far, they should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisV8 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Sounds very smelly to me, that's something I have done a few times on my 110 and so far no issues but then it has got that agricultural old Santana gearbox. But why oh why don't LR follow the JEEP example and not allow the starter to function unless the clutch is down, very simple but incredibly effective, stops the lurch forward with a mistake. Coat, hat gone !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I very much doubt you will ever uncover the real reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Badger Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Well since I have compleate lack of confidence in landrover dealers I reckon this is a compleate lie and there is actually something else wrong with it! I picked up my new one too and it was missing a nas rear step, due to the fact (according to the dealer) that they had recived the part but they were all broken... A month later, I was called to go get it fitted (reallly wish I had not bothered), it took them a whole week to fit the rear step, apparentl its too complicated.... The other day I removethe step to fit a tank guard, all in it too me above 3 hours. So in my experiance they are a bunch of liars! So like you made the right move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSheds Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 But why oh why don't LR follow the JEEP example and not allow the starter to function unless the clutch is down, very simple but incredibly effective, stops the lurch forward with a mistake. That would negate what I thought was the accepted method of dealing with a failed hill ascent - in which you would stall the engine, hold it on the brakes, engage reverse, gently let it roll back and take up the slack onto compression and (with feet off pedals) operate the starter.... Or is that no longer the way to do it (I may be a bit out of touch here). I agree that it sounds fishy (or is that smells discordant?) unless there was something wrong anyway... My sister managed to actually start her car (in order to let it defrost) while it was in gear and she was standing by the side of it. It chuffed off across the drive and side-swiped the house at a walking pace.... the car was written off but this is the only (other) case of damage due to operating the starter while in gear that I know of. I have personally done it many times in all sorts of wrecks (including my 200tdi yesterday) with no problems, and I also have used the starter to inch the V8 up the drive when it had no ignition. Hope your next one is ok! ThreeSheds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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